The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Eastern Cape says it is outraged at statements made by African National Congress (ANC) Provincial Secretary, Lulama Ngcukayitobi, in the media, wherein he apparently suggests that certain Eastern Cape municipalities will be managed from Calata House - the ANC Eastern Cape's head offices in King Williams Town.

"Ngcukayitobi is quoted as saying 'We have decided that, because of the chaos in some of these municipalities the (ANC) PEC must take over certain functions'," Mileham said.

He said that this is simply unlawful. In particular, it contravenes s4(1) of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, which states the council of a municipality has the right to:

govern on its own initiative the local government affairs of the local community;

exercise the municipality’s executive and legislative authority, and to do so without improper interference.

"While the DA fully concurs that these municipalities are in a completely dysfunctional state, we must not lose sight of the fact that they are in this situation precisely because of the ANC’s mismanagement. They are also not alone in this plight: why, for example, has Makana Municipality not been included in this list?" Mileham added.

"If there is indeed chaos, inefficiencies, financial non-viability and problems of political leadership, we can only question why these municipalities are not under administration, or dissolved?

"The answer is simply that there is a political battle within the ANC in the Eastern Cape, which arose after their provincial congress last year, and the losers are being purged."

He said that the DA will continue monitoring this development closely, and at the first instance of political interference in the administration of these municipalities, will seek to have the responsible persons held accountable to the full extent of the law.

"The DA will also be pursuing all available avenues to address the problems through our councillors on the ground in these municipalities and through the Provincial Legislature."

The hunt for a gang that stormed a police station in Ngcobo in the early hours of Wednesday morning and killed five police officers as well as an off-duty soldier continued on Thursday with authorities calling on the public for leads that can help in their investigations...